Aqueducts · London
Longford River
In or near Colnbrook.
Longford River — ground-level aqueduct in London and Surrey, England, UK.

Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 30 min–1 h
- Nearest railway station
- Station A · 0.3 km
- Free entry
- Dog-friendly
Getting there & planning your visit
You can reach Longford River by taking a train to Station A, which is 0.3 km away. Entry to the site is free.
About
Longford River is a aqueduct in the United Kingdom. Wikidata describes it as: "ground-level aqueduct in London and Surrey, England, UK". Coordinates: 51.4806°, -0.4931°.
Photo gallery
Protected designations
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Chilterns
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
The Longford River is an artificial waterway, a distributary designed to embellish a park, that diverts water 12 miles (19 km) from the River Colne at Longford near Colnbrook in England, to Bushy Park and Hampton Court Palace. Its main outlet is to the reach above Molesey Lock with lesser pond outlet channels to that above Teddington Lock (of the Thames). The waterway was built for King Charles I in 1638/39 as a water supply for Hampton Court. Water features in Bushy Park were added in 1710. North of the A30, its course has been diverted more than once as London Heathrow Airport has grown. Its cascades, grassed banks and fountains in Bushy Park were restored and reopened to the public in 2009 to close to their original state.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
Constructed in 1638 39 at the instigation of Charles I, the purpose of the Longford River was to bring water from the River Colne to augment the water supply to the Royal Parks at Bushy Park and Hampton Court. It was designed by Nicholas Lane, and took around nine months to build, at a cost of £4,000. It was not universally popular, as it was illegally stopped up in 1648 or -49, and petitions were presented to the authorities in 1653, arguing that it should not be reopened, alleging it caused flooding which damaged crops and livestock. At Longford, Bath Road crosses the Duke of Northumberland's River, the Longford River and the Colne. Once London's main route to much of the south-southwest,…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.4806, -0.4931
- District
- Hillingdon
- Parish
- Hillingdon, unparished area
- Postcode
- UB7 0ER
- Parliamentary constituency
- Hayes and Harlington
- Nearest railway station
- Station A — 0.3 km
Sources
- wikidata: Q6673845 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Longford River (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Red Deer in Longford River.jpeg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby

09L Heathrow Viewpoint
Viewpoints · 0.6 km

Longford Meeting House
Historic houses · 0.6 km

Thistle London Heathrow Terminal 5 Hotel
Hotels · 0.6 km

Sofitel London Heathrow
Hotels · 0.8 km

RCAF Memorial 427 Squadron & 6 Bomber Group
Memorials & monuments · 1.1 km

Gordon Ramsay Plane Food
Restaurants · 1.1 km

Sir Barnes Wallis & RRL memorial
Memorials & monuments · 1.1 km

Harmondsworth
Chapels · 1.1 km

The Five Bells Inn
Historic pubs · 1.3 km

Harmondsworth Great Barn
Natural landmarks · 1.4 km

Compass Centre
Gardens · 1.7 km

Hilton London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5
Hotels · 1.7 km
Nearby
Viewpoints · London
09L Heathrow Viewpoint
09L Heathrow Viewpoint is a viewpoint in the United Kingdom.
Historic houses · London
Longford Meeting House
Longford Meeting House — a Grade II-listed historic house in england-london, United Kingdom.
Hotels · London
Thistle London Heathrow Terminal 5 Hotel
Thistle London Heathrow Terminal 5 Hotel — a hotel in england london.
Hotels · London
Sofitel London Heathrow
Sofitel London Heathrow — a hotel in england london.
Memorials & monuments · London
RCAF Memorial 427 Squadron & 6 Bomber Group
RCAF Memorial 427 Squadron & 6 Bomber Group — a memorial in england-london, United Kingdom.
Restaurants · London
Gordon Ramsay Plane Food
Gordon Ramsay Plane Food — a restaurant in england london.
Where to eat & stay near Longford River
Places to stay
Hotels · London
Thistle London Heathrow Terminal 5 Hotel
Thistle London Heathrow Terminal 5 Hotel — a hotel in england london.
Hotels · London
Sofitel London Heathrow
Sofitel London Heathrow — a hotel in england london.
Hotels · London
Hilton London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5
Hilton London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 — a hotel in england london. 4-star. Brand: Hilton.
Hotels · London
Hyatt Place London Heathrow Airport
Hyatt Place London Heathrow Airport — a hotel in england london. 4-star. Brand: Hyatt Place.
Hotels · London
Staybridge Suites London - Heathrow Bath Road, an IHG Hotel
Staybridge Suites London - Heathrow Bath Road, an IHG Hotel — a hotel in england london. Brand: Staybridge Suites.
Hotels · London
Holiday Inn London - Heathrow Bath Road, an IHG Hotel
Holiday Inn London - Heathrow Bath Road, an IHG Hotel — a hotel in england london. Brand: Holiday Inn.
Places to eat & drink
Restaurants · London
Gordon Ramsay Plane Food
Gordon Ramsay Plane Food — a restaurant in england london.
Historic pubs · South East England
Star And Garter Public House
Star And Garter Public House in England South East, United Kingdom.
Historic pubs · South East England
The Ostrich Public House
The Ostrich Public House in England South East, United Kingdom.
Historic pubs · London
The King William IV Public House
The King William IV Public House in England London, United Kingdom.
Historic pubs · London
The Three Magpies
The Three Magpies — Historic pub — listed building or notable heritage status.
More places in this region
Aqueducts · London
Duke of Northumberland's River
Duke of Northumberland's River — artificial watercourse in West London.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Longford River?
- Longford River is in London, United Kingdom (postcode UB7 0ER), in the parish of Hillingdon, unparished area.
- What is Longford River?
- Longford River — ground-level aqueduct in London and Surrey, England, UK.
- How do I get to Longford River?
- The nearest railway station is Station A, about 0.3 km away. Drivers can use postcode UB7 0ER.
- Is Longford River a protected site?
- Yes — Longford River is part of the Chilterns National Landscape (AONB).
- Is Longford River free to visit?
- Yes, Longford River is free to enter.
- How do I get to Longford River?
- The nearest railway station is Station A, about 0.3 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode UB7 0ER.